My great-granddad’s eyes went wide, his back hunched—
and he ran! Ran so fast the wind couldn’t catch him!"
Everyone burst out laughing. Someone even clapped their hands.
"But what was it really?" Cinderella asked, laughing through her surprise.
"It was," Alangazar roared with laughter,
"ayran!
There was a goatskin nearby.
The hunter had stomped on it—pssshh!
It took great-granddad years to figure out the trick.
And when he did, he laughed so hard the neighbors' pinecones dropped from their trees!"
"Unbelievable!" Fox said in awe. "So sometimes wit is stronger than strength!"
"Ever since then," Alangazar winked,
"Great-granddad always sniffed the air before a contest—
just to check if it smelled like ayran!"
Laughter broke out again. Someone slapped their knee, another sipped their tea.
The night was clear. Stars shimmered kindly above.
The fire crackled softly, as if it too held onto these old, joyful stories,
while one by one, the storytellers shared their light with their friends.
How Cinderella Wanted to Become a Fairy
Cinderella adjusted the shoulders of her uniform, smiled softly, and looked at the crackling fire.
The flames reflected in her eyes – as if they, too, were waiting for a little magic.
– Well then, – she said, – my turn. Want to hear how, as a little girl, I dreamed of becoming… a fairy?
– A fairy?! – Alangazar, Ertoshtuk, and Fox cried out in chorus. – But you’re a commander!
– Yep, a commander, – Cinderella nodded. – But when I was six, I was sure I’d grow up to be a fairy, just like my godmother.
True, I had no wings, no wand.
But I had imagination – more than an entire enchanted army put together!
– Go on, go on! – Fox curled her tail tightly with excitement.
– I found an old broom, wrapped it in tinsel, and stuck a pot on my head – instead of a helmet.
Threw mom’s bedspread over my shoulders – like a real fairy cloak.
And off I went through the village… to make miracles!
The first giggles started by the fire.
– First, I tried to enchant the neighbor’s goat. I wanted her to fly.
So I tied some balloons to her…
But she clearly wasn’t ready for takeoff.
She jumped straight into the laundry bucket!
– Ha! – Ertoshtuk snorted. – That’s the “Fly-and-Dip” spell!
– Exactly! – Cinderella laughed. – Then I decided to turn our chicken into a princess.